Many types of cell phones and mobile devices can be configured to serve as access points for wireless local area networks. For example, if a landline Internet connection is not available, one may configure a cell phone as a hot spot for other devices, such as a laptop, so that the laptop may connect with the Internet. In such situations, it is desirable to efficiently use the battery power of the cell phone so that the wireless local area network may be up and running as long as possible.